'India should not participate in London Olympics'

A strong demand was made in Rajya Sabha that India should not participate in London Olympics Games as the International Olympic Committee has rejected its calls to drop Dow Chemical, responsible for Bhopal gas tragedy, as sponsor of Games.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Prasanta Chatterjee (CPI-M) said Dow Chemical has refused to take responsibility for the Bhopal Gas tragedy in which 3,787 people were killed in 1984.

Chatterjee said Dow Chemicals took over the company responsible for gas leak and the victims of the tragedy have appealed to the government to boycott the Games.

Appeals were also made to International Olympic Committee to scrap Dow Chemical from sponsorship of the Games but in vain, Chatterjee said adding, "We should stand by the victims of the tragedy."

Some parties including BJP associated with the demand.

Dow Chemical currently owns Union Carbide, the company responsible for the tragedy.